Rafa Benitez has been officially made the coach fo Real Madrid. This is without doubt is an underwhelming appointment. As much as most Madrid fans would like to b positive, initially and deep down they know it's not what they wanted. Most wanted Carlo to stay, few others like myself (as stated extensively here http://soccerbants.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/thank-you-for-la-decima-but-truth-be.html) wanted Carlo out. Sacking a manager and appointing a new manager is a 2-way thing, and i think Florentino Perez has gotten 50% of the job right.
Sure, Benitez is a Madrid boy, born and raised in the city, played for Castilla, managed Castilla and worked under Vicente Del Bosque. Sure Benitez did really well to win 2 Ligas and the uefa cup at Valencia and also the champions league at Liverpool.
However, Benitez has been nicking a living since that famous night in Istanbul and his whole career has been based on those successes, which were 10 years ago and more. Benitez hasn't even managed in the champions league is 2009 (managed 1 group game for Chelsea in 2012). His record at Valencia is impressive but most of that squad was a squad that went contested back to Champions leaghe finals in 2000 & 2001. It's easy to see that, the Valencia squad then was strong enough at home and in Europe. At Liverpool, Istanbul was a glorious night, but if it wasn't for steven Gerrard, Liverpool would have been knocked out in the group stage. The final itself can also be viewed as down to Milan relaxing. It should also be noted he was the same manager that blew a 10-point lead (Man utd had 2 games in hand however) in 09. He started Liverpool's mediocre period by finishing 7th in 2010. His record at Inter was poor, winning the 2 easiest competitions (super cup and CWC) following the reign of Jose Mourinho. Regardless the manager Chelsea would have expected to win the Europa league in 2013 after getting knocked out in the group stage. Napoli deservedly won the Coppa Italia of 2014, but needless to say, they should be in and around that tournament every year. Jose Mourinho once called him the lucky one, to a certain degree he is.
Benitez is also somewhat egoistic. He had issues with Gerrard and Torres at Liverpool over playing positions and minutes afforded on the pitch. He had issues with the Inter squad as he was never really liked by the them post-Mourinho (similar situation for Madrid in this case). At Chelsea there was the problem with John Terry and not him not being able to play twice a week. Funny how Terry played every minute of the 38 premier league games this season. Benitez likes his ways to always be done, no matter what. At Madrid, the players are always treated above others. Safe to see we'll watch this space for a bust up between Benitez and most senior players,Ramos, Ronaldo, Casillas, especially given the way the former 2 loved Ancelotti dearly. Also, given the way, those players brought an rumored ultimatum to Perez about choosing between Mou or them, it's clear something will have to give.
Speaking of Senor Florentino, he is another control freak. Benitez generally has had problems with his owners, especially with things related to transfers. It happened at Valencia, it happened at Liverpool, it happened at Inter. His relationship with the president was good, but Benitez did speak about his disappointment in a lack of investment in the summer of 2014. Florentino Perez hardly gives any manager supreme power, he gave it to Mourinho and we all saw the way that ended. I doubt he'll give such to Benitez. Here another rift path looks set especially with the way Florentino has 90% of the say in transfers.
Tactically Benitez is good enough. Although he has the tag of being defensive, he isn't. His teams score goals. Liverpool scored 119 goals in 07-08 in all competitions, Napoli scored 104 goals combined over the last 2 serie A seasons. They conceded 54 goals in 2014/2015. Doesn't look to defensive that. Napoli fans complained about how he was stubborn to change his 4-2-3-1 system no matter how many times he was found out. He used the system in each and every league game in his 2 years at Napoli.
Benitez is a good manager, no doubt about it, he has never failed to win a trophy any where he has been, despite the situation, be it financially, hate from fans or his own players, or being against the odds, he has always succeeded. He will prepares for games articulately and to the very last detail, using videos and specific detail. He plans his team on a game to game basis and based on the opponents. He will also utilise castilla properly and make use of the entire squad due to his die hard habit of squad rotation which keeps the players fresh at the business end of the season. However those attributes are extremely similar to that of Unai Emery at Sevilla, who I sincerely wanted to take the job. Emery is less experienced and hasn't managed a massive club like Madrid, but he betters Benitez in fact that he puts his arm round his players like Carlo did and is more of a manager. Benitez is extremely professional which can make the environment too strict and tense to work in. Emery also is more flexible as he is more that willing to change his systems. Benitez beat him to it simply by lack of experience in UCL and with a massive club and also by the fact that Benitez is a Madrid indigene.
Only time will tell if Florentino Perez was right to appoint Benitez. Benitez has career is that of deception. He always succeeds and also has issues that people hold against him. Benitez will either be successful for the length of his tenure (hopefully for the good of Madrid) or be that manager that is fired in January or May 2016. It's going to make for interesting viewing, grab your popcorn.
Good read
ReplyDelete